In recent years, a demonstration test of a settlement system using electronic money has been successful and the electronic money is put into practical use.
Currently, a retail shop uses the electronic money for settlement. Further, in order to widespread the electronic money to general users, efforts are made to develop a technology of elements and structure a business model.
In addition to the retail shop, a system using the electronic money is put into practical use to adjust the fare of a train or bus.
With the electronic money, an electronic-money card stores the same exchange value, that is, so-called value, as the money, and is used as an electronic wallet.
The value is written to the electronic-money card by a specific terminal device (hereinafter, referred to as an electronic-money terminal). The processing for writing the value is called charge. Upon charging the value, the money corresponding to the value is collected from a user. Thus, the actual money corresponds to the value, thereby keeping the exchange value of the value for security.
The settlement using the value is executed by subtracting the amount of money corresponding to the settlement from the value stored in the electronic-money card on the electronic-money terminal.
The electronic-money card comprises a non-contact IC (Integrated Circuit) card or a contact IC card.
The electronic-money card comprising the non-contact IC card comprises: an IC chip having a value processing function and a value storing function; and an antenna for communication with the electronic-money terminal. The antenna has a function for wireless communication with the electronic-money terminal and further has a function for generating the power for receiving the electronic waves from the electronic-money terminal and driving the IC chip.
The electronic-money terminal communicates by radio waves with the IC chip via the antenna, and accesses the IC chip in the electronic-money card, thereby performing various processing for value (writing processing, subtraction, and reference to the balance, hereinafter, referred to as value processing).
Mainly, using forms of the electronic-money card are as follows.
(1) Charge Value
First, in a shop in which an electronic-money terminal is installed, an electronic-money card is set to the electronic-money terminal, and the writing operation of a value is requested to a person in charge. In this case, the money corresponding to the value is paid.
Next, the person in charge operates the electronic-money terminal to write the value of charge to the electronic-money terminal.
Then, the electronic-money terminal sends a write command for adding the money corresponding to the value to the IC chip in the electronic-money card.
The IC chip receives the write command and executes the command, thereby adding the money of value stored in the IC chip.
As mentioned above, the value is charged to the electronic-money card.
Incidentally, in an unmanned electronic-money terminal, the electronic money card is set and the money is set to the electronic-money card, thereby automatically charging the value.
(2) Settle by Value
First, a product or service, serving as a target of settlement, is presented to a person in charge of an electronic-money terminal. An electronic-money card is set to the electronic-money terminal installed to a shop, and a message indicating the settlement using the value is sent to the person in charge.
On the contrary, the person in charge operates the electronic-money terminal to subtract the money for settlement from the value stored in the electronic-money card.
Then, the electronic-money terminal sends a subtract command for subtracting the value corresponding to the money to the IC chip in the electronic-money card.
The IC chip receives the subtract command and executes the command, thereby subtracting the value corresponding to the value stored in the IC chip.
As mentioned above, the settlement is performed by using the value in the electronic-money card.
Incidentally, in an electronic-money terminal installed to a vending machine, a user purchases a product, and the value is automatically settled.
(3) Use Electronic Money on Internet
With a terminal device having an Internet access function and a reader/writer for reading/writing data to/from an electronic-money card, a value is charged to the electronic-money card or a settlement is performed by a value stored in the electronic-money card.
When a value is to be charged, the electronic-money card is set to the reader/writer and is accessed to a Web site for charge on the terminal device. Then, the communication is established between a server device and the electronic-money card, and the server device writes the value to the electronic-money card. The money corresponding to the written value is withdrawn from a bank account of a user, or is processed by a credit card.
In the settlement using the value, similarly, the communication is established between the server device and the electronic-money card, and the value is subtracted.
As mentioned above, the electronic-money card is used as a pre-paid electronic wallet and, in particular, it is advantageous for a user in the settlement of a small amount of money because the small change does not burden the user.
Recently, the mobile phone is excessively spread and it is tried that the mobile phone has the same function as that of the electronic-money card.
If the mobile phone has the same function as that of the electronic-money card, a user charges the value to the mobile phone or settles the money by the value stored in the mobile phone.
As mentioned above, the following technology allows the mobile phone to have the function of the electronic-money card.
(Patent Document 1)
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication-No. 2002-352173
According to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, a specific memory for storing the value to the mobile phone is provided, and the value is charged or the money is settled by the stored value.
Upon installing the same value processing function as that of the electronic-money card to the mobile phone, the install timing is a problem.
Upon installing the value processing function to the mobile phone, various information on the security must be installed.
If the install processing is commissioned to an external operator, then, information on the security is transferred to the commission site, and the information is not managed in the company itself.